Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Anniversary Gift

If you read the blog occasionally you would know I am a bit of a sentimental sap.  I sucker for tradition: mine or some else's.  Well, here's this year's anniversary gift.

A hand knit hat for Jim...

Complete with a ponytail hole!
 
After a little research I found out that the traditional gift for 7 years is wool and copper.  Having just learned to knit earlier this year, I thought I would try my hand at making Jim a hat.  Besides, he's always complaining that his beanies "ride up" because his ponytail gets in the way.  He wonders out loud if they make beanies with holes like baseball cap to stick his hair through.  Now I am creative but not the best at deciphering patterns.  I tend to "just figure it out."  So after a few phone calls to my Granno, the family knitter, I was on my way knitting up a storm of knots and rows that hopefully would emerge as a wearable hat for my hubby.
 
I used wool from a friend's sheep.  I attached 2 "copper" pennies (everyone knows they're not really copper anymore) - one 2007 and one 2014 (year of our wedding and year of our anniversary).  I knit 7 stripes to represent our 7 years together.  I tried it on, too big - perfect (hopefully) because Jim's head is bigger than mine.  I compared it to another beanie that he wears that seems to be the best fitting in our house.  It all seemed good.  Then I wrapped it in a brown bag labeled "Open on 3 Oct." and stuffed it in the bottom of his suitcase.  See, Jim was at his cousin's wedding in the Outer Banks for our anniversary, but I wanted him to have it on that day anyway. 
 
He loves it and it fits well!
I wonder what the traditional gifts for 8 years will bring?
 

Friday, October 3, 2014

Then & Now

 
Our Honeymoon 2007
 
Our Anniversary 2014
 
 
Well, not much has changed by the looks of it.  Jim got fuzzier on the chin and I can still fit in my favorite pink running shorts.  Our lives have evolved together, becoming as intertwined as Jim's beard hair after a windstorm.  We know things we didn't back then, about the world and each other.  But still, here we are facing new challenges and the same old routines together and with a smile.
 
Cheers to the next 7 years!